The momentum biofuels are having in the U.S. as an immediate option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in commercial road and air transport also passes to grain processing to obtain the raw materials needed for their production. Recently, Nick Bowdish, CEO of N. Bowdish Company based in Iowa, USA, unveiled plans to invest $350 million in an oilseed crushing plant to be installed in Norfolk, Nebraska.

The new Norfolk Crush company could start operations in mid-2024 and will process one million tons of soybeans per year (3,000 tons per day) to produce 847,000 tons of soybean meal per year (2,420 tons per day). , 225,000 tons of crude soybean oil per year (640 tons per day) and 77,000 tons of furturized soybean hulls per year (220 tons per day).

Meal and soybean hulls (rich in highly digestible proteinand fibers) will be destined for animal nutrition markets, the company said. While Norfolk Crush soybean oil can be used in a wide variety of applications, including the rapidly expanding biodiesel industry.

"This will be the first modern soybean processing plant to start operations in Nebraska," Bowdish said. In addition to leading the development of Norfolk Crush, Bowdish is helping lead the development of Platinum Crush, LLC, which announced plans to build another similar facility in Buena Vista County near Alta, Iowa. The Nebraska Central Railroad Co. and the Union Pacific Railroad will serve the Norfolk Crush.